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Three of the world's leading physicists, including the inaugural speaker for the Marshall-Warren Lecture Series, will be visiting The University of Western Australia over the next three weeks to deliver academic and public lectures on science.

The Marshall-Warren Lecture Series has been named in honour of UWA Professors Barry Marshall and Robin Warren, joint winners of the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 2005 for their work enabling an antibiotic cure for gastro-duodenal ulcers, which has led to a significant reduction in the prevalence of gastric cancer.

Professor Douglas Osheroff: 1996 Nobel Prize in Physics

Professor Osheroff will be the inaugural speaker at UWA's new series of lectures enabling the Perth community to engage with Nobel Laureates from around the world.

Professor Osheroff, from Stanford University, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1996 for the discovery of superfluidity in helium-3 (with co-recipients David M Lee and Robert C Richardson).

More recently, Professor Osheroff was a member of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, which determined the causes of the destruction of Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003.

The Stanford University Professor, who describes his discovery of superfluidity in Helium-3 as "serendipitous", will talk about research strategies that can substantially increase the probability of making a discovery.

The 2009 Marshall-Warren Lecture:  How Advancements in Science are Made will be held at UWA's Winthrop Hall on Tuesday, November 24.  For more information, visit the website: https://www.ias.uwa.edu.au/lectures/marshallwarren09

Professor Gerard ‘t Hooft: 1999 Nobel Prize in Physics

Professor ‘t Hooft is Professor of Theoretical Physics at Utrecht University and co-recipient of the 1999 Nobel Prize ‘for elucidating the quantum structure of electroweak interactions'.

Professor ‘t Hooft  and Professor Osheroff will also present at the 10th  Frontiers of Fundamental Physics Symposium, the first time the international conference has been held in Australia.

Professor ‘t Hooft had an asteroid named in his honour - Asteroid 9491 Thooft.

The 10th  Frontiers of Fundamental Physics Symposium will be held at UWA's School of Physics from November 24 to 26.  For more information, visit the website: https://www.ffp10.physics.uwa.edu.au/

Professor Carl Weiman:  2001 Nobel Prize in Physics

In December, Professor Weiman will discuss using the methods of science to teach science at the Institute of Advanced Studies' Science Education in the 21st Century public lecture.

Professor Weiman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2001 for the first creation of and early experiments on Bose-Einstein condensation.

He is Director of the Carl Wieman Science Education Initiative and retains a 20 per cent appointment at the University of Colorado, Boulder to head the science education initiative he founded.

Science Education in the 21st Century - Lecture by Nobel Laureate Carl Weiman will be held at UWA's University Club Theatre Auditorium on December 7.  For more information, visit the website: https://www.news.uwa.edu.au/200910091750/issue-18-15-october-2009/science-education-21st-century-lecture-nobel-laureate-carl-wie .

Media references

Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716